Opinion / Columnist
Tribalism the cancer killing Zimbabwe
21 Jan 2015 at 03:16hrs | Views
The single and most important asset ZAPU offers to the people of Zimbabwe is the unity of its citizens. The very unity which was severely dismembered by Zanu-PF.
The two tribal groupings of the largely Sindebele-speaking and ChiShona-speaking people have been polarised for longer than expected. MaSamariya neMaJuda havambofi vaka vakidzana, one may say. The government of the day can simply be characterised as a Shona government, which pushes the Shona interests at the exclusion of other ethnic groups in the country. The Government takes advantage of the propaganda machinery at its disposal such as the national broadcasters which spout hatred and division amongst its people. Most ethnic groups, apart from the Shona, are turned off by what they hear and see from their television screens, radios and print media. It's Shona everywhere and others cannot escape this cultural bullying and humiliation by one group. The majority of Shonas are subconsciously internalising hatred of Ndebeles. Many now readily dismiss any grievances from Ndebele people no matter how genuine they are. The process of internalisation and conditioning is at an advanced stage.
In many instances the Shona people have shown their disdainful treatment of the Ndebele people by belittling them and believing themselves to be superior, more educated and more employable. The truth is, this skewed view is as a result of the government's unwritten policy against the Ndebele people. The Shona people treat the Ndebeles as second class citizens if not worse. They cannot even bring themselves to speak Isindebele despite their numerous opportunities to learn the language. Some have lived in Matabeleland for more than ten years but still they cannot speak isiNdebele. This could be interpreted as that Shonas hate the Ndebeles.
In a ZAPU government there shall be no first class or second class citizens, all the people shall be first class citizens, accorded with equal opportunities and respect.
Nathaniel Manheru's venomous articles on the the Gukurahundi genocide and the so-called Unity Accord of 1987 showcases this hatred of the Ndebeles. I concede that not all Shonas are as venomous as Manheru portrays them. But those who hate Ndebeles really push the boundaries. They really hate them. Mugabe is the god-father of hatred against the Ndebeles and many Shonas are just emulating his evil deeds.
In turn the Ndebeles are angry at Shona people for current and historical reasons. Historical in the sense of the Great Betrayal. Not once but many times. Can I bore you with details? The first time the Ndebele felt that the Shona people betrayed them was in 1893 when they helped the Whites to invade Matabeleland. The second time was in 1963 when the Shona tribesmen infamously split a strong and powerful movement in the mould and shape of ZAPU. This is the genesis and the cradle of tribalism in Zimbabwe which has destroyed the nation to this day. During the liberation struggle ZAPU always had a policy of unifying the liberation movements, and ZIPA was as a result of that policy. However, ZANLA forces started shooting ZIPRA forces as it happened in Mozambique and Tanzania. As if that was not enough ZanuPF could not wait to ditch the Patriotic Front on the eve of 1980 elections.
The Gukurahundi genocide which saw 20 000 innocent people massacred was the continuation of the betrayal of Ndebeles by Shonas. Finally the 1987 Unity Accord betrayal followed, with Zanu-PF failing to honour key agreements and forcing ZAPU to sign a document which promoted a one Party state, a notion which ZAPU fought against all its life.
These are among the many reasons why the people of the Matebeland are angry at Shonas. Furthermore nepotism at work places and institutions of higher learning has seen many Ndebeles being sidelined, with Shona people being bussed in to do even menial jobs like sweeping the streets in places like Bulawayo, Lupane, Gwanda and Plumtree, surely the local Ndebeles can operate such equipment as sweeping brooms. 90% of employees at Plumtree border post are people of Shona extraction, in a predominantly Kalanga speaking area; even at Beitbridge border post the scenario is the same, no Venda employees. When ZAPU preaches devolution of power it is because of such glaring injustices.
To add insult to injury, there are Shona-speaking people all over Matabeleland region, speaking Chi-Shona at every opportunity and stubbornly refusing to speak IsiNdebele, even professionals such as teachers, nurses, doctors, police and army personnel. To the people of Matabeleland it feels like an invasion or re-colonisation in another form. This is why Ndebeles are fuming at this treatment by Shonas. The Government should consider itself lucky that Ndebeles are not yet extremists of the kind seen in other parts of the world where suicide bombings are the norm. But for how long will this last, nobody knows.
This is the legacy of over 30 years of the Zanu-PF misrule: disunity, hatred, nepotism, and systematic discrimination. Believe me it has not always been as bad as it is now. Before Zanu-PF there was once tolerance in the country. It cannot continue like this. That would please the Manherus of this world. Manheru is actively pouring paraffin on the fire by his inflammatory articles on an already volatile and precarious situation. Many have been asking why Ndebele people cannot forgive and move on, but they have their answer now through Manheru, Mugabe is not apologetic, repentant nor remorseful of the genocide.
There is only one political party in Zimbabwe that truly advocates unity of all the people of Zimbabwe. That party does not preach that we should love each other. It does not even demand that we like each other for that matter. If we do, that will be an added bonus. All this party is asking for is that we respect each other, that we accept our differences, that we promote diversity and equality of Shona and Ndebele, black or white, rich or poor. That party is ZAPU led by Dr Dumiso Dabengwa, a truly national Party, which has never been tribal in its strategy and content.
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Written by Bokane Mlindelwa Vundla
Released by ZAPU Europe Information, Publicity and Marketing Department.
zapuinformteam@gmail.com
The two tribal groupings of the largely Sindebele-speaking and ChiShona-speaking people have been polarised for longer than expected. MaSamariya neMaJuda havambofi vaka vakidzana, one may say. The government of the day can simply be characterised as a Shona government, which pushes the Shona interests at the exclusion of other ethnic groups in the country. The Government takes advantage of the propaganda machinery at its disposal such as the national broadcasters which spout hatred and division amongst its people. Most ethnic groups, apart from the Shona, are turned off by what they hear and see from their television screens, radios and print media. It's Shona everywhere and others cannot escape this cultural bullying and humiliation by one group. The majority of Shonas are subconsciously internalising hatred of Ndebeles. Many now readily dismiss any grievances from Ndebele people no matter how genuine they are. The process of internalisation and conditioning is at an advanced stage.
In many instances the Shona people have shown their disdainful treatment of the Ndebele people by belittling them and believing themselves to be superior, more educated and more employable. The truth is, this skewed view is as a result of the government's unwritten policy against the Ndebele people. The Shona people treat the Ndebeles as second class citizens if not worse. They cannot even bring themselves to speak Isindebele despite their numerous opportunities to learn the language. Some have lived in Matabeleland for more than ten years but still they cannot speak isiNdebele. This could be interpreted as that Shonas hate the Ndebeles.
In a ZAPU government there shall be no first class or second class citizens, all the people shall be first class citizens, accorded with equal opportunities and respect.
Nathaniel Manheru's venomous articles on the the Gukurahundi genocide and the so-called Unity Accord of 1987 showcases this hatred of the Ndebeles. I concede that not all Shonas are as venomous as Manheru portrays them. But those who hate Ndebeles really push the boundaries. They really hate them. Mugabe is the god-father of hatred against the Ndebeles and many Shonas are just emulating his evil deeds.
In turn the Ndebeles are angry at Shona people for current and historical reasons. Historical in the sense of the Great Betrayal. Not once but many times. Can I bore you with details? The first time the Ndebele felt that the Shona people betrayed them was in 1893 when they helped the Whites to invade Matabeleland. The second time was in 1963 when the Shona tribesmen infamously split a strong and powerful movement in the mould and shape of ZAPU. This is the genesis and the cradle of tribalism in Zimbabwe which has destroyed the nation to this day. During the liberation struggle ZAPU always had a policy of unifying the liberation movements, and ZIPA was as a result of that policy. However, ZANLA forces started shooting ZIPRA forces as it happened in Mozambique and Tanzania. As if that was not enough ZanuPF could not wait to ditch the Patriotic Front on the eve of 1980 elections.
These are among the many reasons why the people of the Matebeland are angry at Shonas. Furthermore nepotism at work places and institutions of higher learning has seen many Ndebeles being sidelined, with Shona people being bussed in to do even menial jobs like sweeping the streets in places like Bulawayo, Lupane, Gwanda and Plumtree, surely the local Ndebeles can operate such equipment as sweeping brooms. 90% of employees at Plumtree border post are people of Shona extraction, in a predominantly Kalanga speaking area; even at Beitbridge border post the scenario is the same, no Venda employees. When ZAPU preaches devolution of power it is because of such glaring injustices.
To add insult to injury, there are Shona-speaking people all over Matabeleland region, speaking Chi-Shona at every opportunity and stubbornly refusing to speak IsiNdebele, even professionals such as teachers, nurses, doctors, police and army personnel. To the people of Matabeleland it feels like an invasion or re-colonisation in another form. This is why Ndebeles are fuming at this treatment by Shonas. The Government should consider itself lucky that Ndebeles are not yet extremists of the kind seen in other parts of the world where suicide bombings are the norm. But for how long will this last, nobody knows.
This is the legacy of over 30 years of the Zanu-PF misrule: disunity, hatred, nepotism, and systematic discrimination. Believe me it has not always been as bad as it is now. Before Zanu-PF there was once tolerance in the country. It cannot continue like this. That would please the Manherus of this world. Manheru is actively pouring paraffin on the fire by his inflammatory articles on an already volatile and precarious situation. Many have been asking why Ndebele people cannot forgive and move on, but they have their answer now through Manheru, Mugabe is not apologetic, repentant nor remorseful of the genocide.
There is only one political party in Zimbabwe that truly advocates unity of all the people of Zimbabwe. That party does not preach that we should love each other. It does not even demand that we like each other for that matter. If we do, that will be an added bonus. All this party is asking for is that we respect each other, that we accept our differences, that we promote diversity and equality of Shona and Ndebele, black or white, rich or poor. That party is ZAPU led by Dr Dumiso Dabengwa, a truly national Party, which has never been tribal in its strategy and content.
------------------
Written by Bokane Mlindelwa Vundla
Released by ZAPU Europe Information, Publicity and Marketing Department.
zapuinformteam@gmail.com
Source - ZAPU Europe Information, Publicity and Marketing Department
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